02.08.21
The cost of health care is high. Too high. There is discussion by federal and state lawmakers about policies to lower costs to protect patients and their families. I applaud the intent, but, as the parent of a child with cystic fibrosis (CF) and the leader of a patient advocacy organization, I believe they are missing the mark.11.04.20
As an American, I’m proud to live in a country that is built on the inalienable rights of its citizens and the sacred principle that “all men are created equal.” However, as the parent of a child with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) Type 1, I’ve realized that when it comes to our healthcare system — from rationing of care to the push to adopt drug policies from socialist nations — we don’t always live up…02.28.20
Lost work days and time spent in emergency rooms should have weighed more heavily in an analysis of migraine medicines by an influential advisory board, advocates said. The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, a nonprofit that analyzes whether a drug’s outcome for patients justifies its price tag, can sway insurers’ decisions on drug coverage. It recently determined that Allergan’s Ubrelvy, Eli Lilly’s Reyvow, and rimegepant—a Biohaven drug still being considered for approval by the…02.28.20
The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review revised its previous assessment of two new migraine drugs, determining that they meet its long-term cost-effectiveness thresholds — after previously ruling the cost of the medicines was too high. The final evidence report concluded that Allergan’s Ubrelvy, which costs $4,896 a year, and Biohaven’s rimegepant meet the cost-effectiveness threshold.02.28.20
Policy and patient advocacy groups are calling on the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review to rerun its analysis on the cost-effectiveness of three drugs to treat acute migraines, using ICER’s updated framework that considers societal factors. The advocacy groups expect the cost-effectiveness rating of the three drugs would increase further using that framework. 01.09.20
Time is the most precious commodity all of us have. Time is also the first thing we lose when chronic illness comes into our lives. I am living with cystic fibrosis (CF). For me, my life has long revolved around a rigorous daily treatment routine, recurring trips to medical centers and operating rooms, incessant negotiations with insurance providers, days spent too sick to climb the stairs, precious hours tending to my feeding tube and time…12.03.19
In the United States, we are engaged in the challenging but important conversation about how to assess the value of pharmaceuticals. While efforts to improve the frameworks for drug value assessment are emerging, we are missing an important opportunity if we continue to focus all value assessment energy on just drugs. To be truly relevant to sustainable value-based health care decision-making, we must advance methods and tools that can effectively support comparative assessment of a broader array…10.09.19
The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, commonly known as ICER, wants everyone to believe that it cares about patients and that its value assessments of new drugs and treatments are intended to help them. How do we know that? It’s become the organization’s central talking point as it makes the rounds in advance of finalizing its revised Value Assessment Framework for 2020, which describes the methodology the organization will use in its assessments beginning next year.…
